Drilling apparatus



June 1, 1937.

E. G. GARTIN DRILLING APPARATUS Filed June 14, 1955 .Patented June 1, 1937 PATENT OFFICE.

DRILLING APPARATUS .Elmer Gartin, Claremont, N. H., assignor to Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation ofr Massachusetts Application June 14, 1935,A Serial No. 26,652

12 Claims.

My invention relates to drilling apparatus, and more particularly to improvements in rock drilling apparatus used for drilling upwardly inclined holes.

- In the drilling of upwardly inclined holes, and particularly nearly vertical holes, it is common practice to use what are known as stopers, these drill devices comprising alined drilling motors and feeding apparatus. Feeding apparatus 310 in one of the common forms of these devices, perhaps the most common form, consists of a feed cylinder xed in alinement with the drilling mo- -tor and containing a feed piston whose piston :rod extends through the lower end of the feed cylinder and terminates in an abutment point which is placed against a timber, the ground, or .any other point providing a suitable abutment, :and remains stationary while the feed cylinder anoves relative to the feed piston and forces the fg@ drilling motor in the desired direction in which the hole is to be formed. With such drilling devices 'the drilling motor is commonly run during .the drilling (forward feeding) operation of the apparatus, but is shut oif during retraction, which :is accomplished merely by gravity upon the venting of the pressure which had previously been .admitted to the feed cylinder between the upper end thereof and the feed piston. During the drilling operation, pressure fluid is supplied to 39 'the hole through a hollow drill steel,v but during the 'lowering of the drilling motor, it is common practice upon the interruption of operation of the-drilling motor also to interrupt the supply lof fluid to the drill steel, and moreover, there is 35 a cessation of the flow of pressure fluid through the flutes in the piston striking bar of the drilling motor and around the cleansing uid tube so that there is no pressure discharging around the drill steel or through the latter While the drill steel is being withdrawn from the hole, and therefore nothing to prevent dust, grit, and the like from passing around the drill steel or through the latter into the forward end of the drill. This problem has been met in some cases by providing for a continuous blowing of air at all times when the supply line 'is connected to a stoper, but this 'is both somewhat wasteful of air and adds to the noise, due to the constant hiss of the escaping air. It is an object of the present invention to 5c provide improved means which will prevent access `of grit and the like to the interior of the drill during retraction and not be subject to the disadvantage of Awaste of air unnecessarily, and

' avoid the annoyance of the constant blow. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cleansing arrangement for preventing ingress of dirt, grit and the like to the interior of the drilling apparatus which is controlled by the feeding mechanism of the drilling apparatus. It is another object of the invention to provide in a stoping drill improved means controlled by the feed thereof for providing for the provision of cleansing vfluid to the space Within the chuck of the drill during retraction, but upon completion of retraction automatically interrupting the fluid supply. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing in `which for purposes of illustration one embodiment of the invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through a stoping drill in which the illustrative embodiment of the invention is incorporated.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing parts in different relative positions.

Fig. 3 is a transverse-section on a plane corresponding to the line 3--3 of Fig. 1 through the throttle valve.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig, l.

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the construction whereby the air is supplied for the special blowing purpose hereinafter referred to, the view being taken on a plane corresponding to the section line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, it will be noted that at I there is shown a drill of the so-called stoper type having an intermediate head member 2 which supports at its forward side the cylinder 3 of a drilling motor and which at its rearward side, to the rear of the valve mechanism and ro'- tation control means of the drilling motor, supports the alined feeding mechanism 4. The cylinder 3 has a bore 5 in which a piston 6 is reciprocable. The piston 6 has a striking barv 'I adapted to impart blows to a striking block 8 and through the latter to a drill steel 9 mounted in a chuck It within a chuck housing ll. Through a suitable ratchet ring l2 and pawl carrier I3, vthe latter formed integral with a rifle bar member lli, the piston t is intermittently rotated, and the rotation of the piston is transmitted through a chuck nut I5, chuck sleeve IE5 and the chuck I l) to the drill steel 9. Within the valve chest I 'I formed in the intermediate head member 2 and in part within-va further head member Iis reciprocable a distributing valve I9 whose structure is now well known, and which functions to admit fluid pressure alternately from a uid supply space 20 to the opposite ends of the cylinder bore and to cause reciprocation of the hammer piston'. Admission to the space 20 and to the feed cylinder later described is controlled by a suitable throttle and feed controlling valve mechanism 2i, including a manually rotatable throttle valve 22 and a plunger feed control valve 22a whose constructions are well known. The feed mechanism 4 comprises a feed cylinder 25 held by a clamp member 26 in fixed relation to the drilling motor, and in the bore 21 of the feed cylinder 25 a piston 28 is disposed, this piston having a piston rod 29 which extends outwardly to a suitable abutment point. Upon the admission of fluid pressure to the space 3U .above the piston 28 (when the drilling apparatus is in upright position) the pressure uid will act between the piston 28 and the end of the feed cylinder and will cause feeding of the feed cylinder toward the work. The upper end of the piston 28.carries a spring ring 3i which is adapted to cooperate with the bore 32 of the inwardly projecting annular sleeve 33 in holding the feed collapsed except when air is admitted to effect feed.

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be noted that va. passage 35 extends from the throttle valve receiving chamber at a point in the latter which it not at any time covered by the throttle valve, and eX- tends rearwardly as at 36 and communicates with a bore 31 formed ina member 38 which forms the forward head of the feed cylinder. Bore 31 is closed at its forward end by a threaded plug 39 and its other end terminates in a shoulder-surrounded bore extending to the space 36. A valve 40 normally pressed by a spring 4l into engagement with a shoulder 42 has a stem 43 and in the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1, permits communication between the rearmost porportion 45 of the passage 36 and a passage 46 which leads forward as at 41 and opens into the interior of the chuck mechanism of the drill at 43 at a point ahead of the striking block 8. When the valve 40 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, it interrupts communication between passages 45 and 46, and accordingly flow from the passage 45 to the passage 46 is impossible. It will be observed that the valve 40 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 by abutment on its stem 43 of the projection carried by the upper end of the feed piston 28, when the feed is completely collapsed.

The mode of operation of the apparatus will now be readily understood from what has been said. It will be noted that as soon as the supply line 56 for the drilling motor is connected to the intermediate head member 2, air will be at once admitted into the passage 35, passage 38, and passage 45. When the feed is collapsed, the pressure will pass no further, but as soon as the throttle valve 22 is` manipulated to start the feeding operation and as soon as pressure fluid has been admitted under control of the throttle valve to the space 30 and caused relative movement .between the cylinder and the piston, the valve 40 will be moved to the position shown in Fig.- 1, and accordingly pressure iiuid will then flow from the passage 45 through the passages 46, 41 and port 48 into the chuck of the drilling motor. This iiow will continue throughout the forward feed and the drilling of the hole and also will continue when, after the hole .has been drilled to the depth desired or permitted by the steel in use, throttle valve 22 is adjusted to vent the feed cylinder and allow the feed to collapse. my further grit or dust loosened from the hole during the withdrawal of the steel, or falling from the roof, will not be able to pass along the drill steel, or through the hollow drill steel, and enter the interior of the chuck because of the continued discharge of air through the passages mentioned. When, however, the drill has been completely withdrawn from the hole, as will occur upon the complete collapse of the feed, the stem 43 of the downwardly moving valve 40 carried in the feed cylinder head4 will comeinto contactwith the boss at the upper end of the feed piston, and the valve will be forced to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the flow of pressure fluid will be interrupted until such time as a renewed supply is needed. It will be evident that I have provided an apparatus which will be very elfective in preventing the access ofv dirt orv grit to the interior of the chuck mechanism at times when that danger is present, but vwhich will automatically turn off the air and silence the noise when the air is no longer needed.

Y While there is in this application specically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In combination, in a drilling apparatus, a drilling motor, a chuck, a drill steel in said chuck, means for supplying air to said chuck during drilling, feeding means for said motor, chuck and steel, and means operative during retraction and automatically shut down upon completion of retraction for supplying air to said chuck.

2. In combination, a drill having a chuck and feeding means, and` a plurality of cooperating means for supplying air to said chuck, one op-erative only during drill operation, and the other operable irrespective of operation of the drill, said latter air supplying means including controlling means automatically controlled by said feeding. means. Y

3. In combination, a drill having a chuck and feeding means, and a plurality of cooperating means for supplying air to` said chuck, one operative only duringl drill operation, and the other operable irrespective of operation of the drill, said latter air supplying means including controlling means automatically controlled by said feeding means to interrupt air supply when said feeding means is in fully retracted position.

4. In combination, a drilling motor having a chuck, a feeding motor comprising relatively reciprocable cylinder and piston elements one operatively connected to the drilling motor, and means including a valve held in closed position whenever said cylinder and piston elements are in fully collapsed position for controlling air supply to said chuck.

5. In combination, a drilling motor having a chuck, a feeding motor comprising relatively reciprocable cylinder and piston elements one operatively connected to the drilling motor, and means including a valve moving with said drilling motor and held in closed position whenever. said cylinder and piston elements are in fully collapsed position for controlling air supply to said chuck.

6. In combination, a drilling motor having a chuck, a feeding motor comprising relatively reciprocable cylinder and piston elements o 9peratively connected to the drilling motor, and means including a valve moving with the element operatively connected with the drilling motor and engageable by the other feeding element and held in closed position whenever said cylinder and piston elements are in fully collapsed position for controlling air supply to said chuck.

7. In combination, in a drilling apparatus,

a drilling motor for actuating a hollow drill steel, feeding means for said drilling motor, and means for automatically effecting a continuous supply of cleansing fluid to the hollow drill steel during operation of said feeding means and including means for automatically shutting down the cleansing fluid supply upon retraction of the feeding means.

8. In combination, in a drilling apparatus, a drilling motor for actuating a hollow drill steel, feeding means for said drilling motor, and means for supplying cleansing fluid continuously to the drill steel during the feeding operation and for automatically shutting down the cleansing fluid supply when saidfe'eding means is in fully retracted position, said second mentioned means including a valve for controlling the cleansing fluid supply and held in closed position when said feeding means is fully retracted.

9. In combination, in a drilling apparatus, a drilling motor for actuating a hollow drill steel, feeding means for said motor, and means for supplying cleansing fluid continuously to n the hollow drill steel during the feeding opa drilling motor for actuating a hollow drill steel, feeding means for said drilling motor cornprising relatively reciprocable cylinder and piston elements, one operatively connected to the drilling motor, and means for supplying cleansing fluid continuously to the hollow drill steel during relative reciprocation between said cylinder and piston elements and including means for automatically shutting down the cleansing fluid supply when said cylinder and piston elements are in fully collapsed position, said last mentioned means including asvalve for controlling the cleansing fluid supply', said valve mounted on one of said feeding elements and engageable by said other feeding element and held in closed position when said cylinder and piston elements are fully collapsed.

11. In combination, in a drilling apparatus, a drilling motor for actuating a hollow drill steel, feeding means therefor, means effective only during motor operation for intermittently supplying cleansing fluid to the hollow drill steel, and cooperating means for effecting a continuous delivery of cleansing fluid to the hollow steel, said last mentioned means operative irrespective of motor operation and including means automatically controlled by said feeding means for controlling cleansing fluid delivery thereby.

12. In combination, in a drilling apparatus, a drilling motor for actuating a hollow drill steel, feeding means therefor, means effective only duringmotor operation for intermittently supplying cleansing fluid to the hollow drill steel, and cooperating means for effecting a continuous delivery of cleansing fluid to the hollow steel, said last mentioned means operative irrespective of motor operation and including means automatically V,controlled by said feeding means for automatically interrupting cleansing fluid delivery thereby whenever said feeding means is in fully retracted position.

ELMER G. GARTIN. 

